The best dermatologist doesn’t always mean the best dermatology clinic or the best service. I’ll tell you why…
As a healthcare operator with over 15 years of experience working in customer service and business ops for private healthcare, I have built up an understanding of what patients need – through the eyes of someone who uses the service, not the clinical team delivering it.
This gives me a unique perspective on what is important when it comes to treating skin, what patients value most (from reviewing thousands of reviews for dermatology), and what are the biggest pain-points (from being the one responding to complaints).
This sounds obvious, but so often I see clinics that advertise services that they’re not specialised in. For example, someone might claim to be a hair specialist – but are they a Consultant Dermatologist who has sub-specialised in hair conditions? This is the highest level of hair specialist.
There seem to be more acne clinics popping up online and on the street every day – but do they have dermatologists working for them? For persistent acne, you need a dermatologist in your corner.
You’re paying for a service – your expectations are rightfully high. You want a dermatologist who matches this. It is not as simple as it might seem – most private dermatologists are working in a couple of clinics, including their NHS work. Which means they may only be working privately for one day a week.
You want to be sure that your queries are answered quickly – either by their admin teams, a colleague, or themselves remotely if needed. This is particularly important with skin cancer concerns or if you have a medication query.
In my experience, this is the number one reason people feel disgruntled with a service – they have follow-up questions (no one remembers everything within the clinic room), and they go unanswered. Test out their admin teams – do they respond quickly?
As per the point above – not many private dermatologists work more than 1-2 days a week privately. Check this works with your schedule in case you have follow-ups and want to keep with the same private dermatologist (which we strive to). No. 23 is open 6 days a week, with evening appointments and Saturdays.
The cost of private dermatology can vary wildly, and some clinics use “add-ons” to make their upfront cost appear lower. Private healthcare is not straightforward in this regard because every person is different. Until your consultation, it is not 100% evident what you might need (e.g. do you need blood tests for acne medications? Are you going to have a mole removed? Do you need a swab?).
The important point here is to give admin teams as much information as you can so they can give you an estimate before your first appointment and always, always, discuss costs within your appointment before proceeding so you know exactly what your bill will be. It is up to the clinic/dermatologist to go through this with you and you should expect them to.
As with any business, culture is important, but I would argue in healthcare it is the most important – and often overlooked. When you need support about your health, most people already feel vulnerable. Entering somewhere hostile at this point can send nerves through the roof! From the warm design of the reception, to the smile you receive, to the understanding clinician – every single steps is so important. We work hard at No.23 to ensure this is the best it can possibly be.
If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to reach out – our number is 02039411815, my direct email is hc@23skin.co.uk, and I’d love to hear from you and to help with your skin wherever we are able to.
Helen
Cofounder
No. 23 Skin
02039411815
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